Micro Training is just a fancy term for breaking down a routine into small segments that are easier to learn. Let’s look at an example. Let’s say you are trying to learn to load and unload your pistol but you are having trouble keeping your finger off the trigger. It would be really easy to put the pistol down on the table in slide lock, ejection port facing up, muzzle pointing in a safe direction and then pick it up using the finger in register on the slide and then put it down with a finger in register on the slide. You could repeat this 500 or maybe a 1000 times and at some point, you will have learned where your finger belongs. It’s not about speed it’s about using micro training to do enough repetitions so that when you handle a pistol your finger will always be in the right position. This will also aid your finger placement when drawing from the holster.

I Left Pueblo about 4 am Tuesday morning and headed north for a Glock Armorers Class to be held in Northern Colorado at Liberty Firearms Institute in Johnstown Colorado. I had scheduled the class several months before and was looking forward to it. One of the local gun emporiums had arranged for me to go under their Dealer Stocking Program. These programs are designed for Law Enforcement and Military and everyone is not eligible to go. The Class was being taught by a Glock Representative who had been with Glock about 15 years by the name of Dennis Tueller. Dennis started the class by telling the group of mostly Law Enforcement Officers a story about his Law Enforcement career in Salt Lake City, Utah where he was a firearms instructor and had other duties with the PD there. After a long Law Enforcement career Glock came along and offered him a job when he retired and now this is what he does full time. Dennis travels and Certifies Glock Armorers.

So the wheels started to turn in my head and the name Dennis Tueller is synonymous with the Tueller Drill that we all study in most good Concealed Carry Classes. That Tueller was also from the Salt Lake City area and so at the break, I had to ask. He smiled and looked at me and said he had not expected anyone to recognize him for that and he was flattered. He then conceded that sometimes people have attached his name to the concept that we all teach about 21 feet especially Massad Ayoob. Anyone who has had one of my classes knows about this study. Dennis was very humble about the whole thing and we talked about those times and he even spoke during class about his training with Jeff Cooper and other industry greats.

In The Tueller Drill study Sergeant Dennis Tueller, of the Salt Lake City, Utah Police Department wondered how quickly an attacker with a knife could cover 21 feet (6.4 m), so he timed volunteers as they raced to stab the target. He determined that it could be done in 1.5 seconds. These results were first published as an article in SWAT magazine in 1983 and in a police training video by the same title, “How Close is Too Close?”

It was amazing to me that the group of young law enforcement officers had no idea who they were spending the next 8 hours with. This guy was old school, 1911, police officer, firearm industry royalty. It turned out he was a great instructor and I enjoyed the class very much. Many of his stories and quips kept us on our toes for the full 8 hours. After the practical portion which consisted of taking 3 generations of Glocks completely apart and putting them back together so they would work, we then had the written exam. Great day, Great Instructor, Great Class. I would love to take a firearms class from this guy and I’m proud to announce I am now a Certified Glock Armorer.

As a Glock Armorer, I am going to be offering some custom services on Glock guns. I have been stippling some gun frames for shooters and changing sites, mag releases and slide stop on Glocks, Sigs, S&W and Walthers to name a few. I have been working on pistols and shotguns for several years mostly for friends and family. Last year I built an AR Pistol that was a lot of fun. I am in the process of customizing a Glock 43 and I will be publishing some pictures when it is done. If anyone is having problems with a Glock I would be glad to look at it.

Transitional Spaces In Self Defense are places where we MUST be more aware of potential attacks. A transitional space is any location that allows dirtbags to prey on their victims with the element of surprise and provides them with a viable escape. A corner that you have to walk around is one of those transitional spaces.

What is atransitional space? A simple way to understand transitional spaces is to recognize them as the areas you traverse on your way to a destination. For example, a parking lot is a transitional space on the way to your vehicle or on your way to and from a building. Doorways are transitional spaces between rooms or to and from a building. Corners are transitional spaces between directions (hallways and corners at the end of the block or hallway). When getting in or out of your car you are passing through a transitional space.

Let’s look at it from the attacker’s point of view, transitional spaces are a great opportunity to catch you unaware and not paying attention. Did you know most attacks happen in or around or getting in or out of an automobile? Watch people as they move through transitional spaces: most people walk thru parking lots with their eyes fixed on their cell phones or looking at the ground. Most people blindly turn corners, not giving any thought about whats on the other side. Most people move through doorways oblivious to their surroundings. People getting in and out of their vehicles are often attempting to carry groceries or other possessions and their attention is focused on those tasks. Give some thought to how often you fit into these descriptions of daily activity.

When walking around corners use the approach shown in the picture above. Never go around a corner close to the wall. Always be away from the wall so that you can have time to recognize a threat on the other side. If you have a drawn firearm never lead with that firearm it could be taken away from you very easily. When moving through transitional spaces you should experiment with turning your situational awareness up a notch. Taking the everyday activity of rounding a corner as an example I will briefly explain what turning up your awareness a notch might look like. As you prepare to turn a corner there are a few things to consider.

Look for window reflections which may allow you to actually see what is around the corner. Also look for shadows which could indicate that there is a person or other object around the corner. Slow your pace a little as you prepare for the corner. Moving just a little slower allows you to pay more attention to what is going on. Take the corner wide.(see the diagram above) This means don’t hug the wall as you turn the corner but instead walk a few feet wide of the corner. This simple step allows you to see what is on the other side of the corner before you are fully committed to turning the corner. These are all examples of heightened awareness and are simple to practice.

Transitional spaces give you an opportunity to practice heightened situational awareness. It is very rare that a person needs to walk around expecting a physical attack around every corner. That would be unhealthy for you both physically and mentally. It is important to be aware that such attacks can happen but there is no sense in the average person cultivating a sense of paranoia over it.

Greg Ellifritz (Active Response Training) told a story in a recent post of a man who had all the lingo of a good gun handler, had all the top equipment, but in an actual self-defense moment when he had to perform he became a basket case. The Concealed Carry Podcast also recently talked about the eighty-twentyhandgun training principaland gave some indication of what they felt were important and not so important training issues. It has been shown that 80% of what we worry about or focus on does not help us achieve the 20% that’s important. This concept is known as the Pareto Rule.

Many people in the Concealed Carry community spend 80% of their time worrying about their equipment (Guns, Lights, Lasers, and toys). Gear matters a lot less than you might think. If we develop skills, gear becomes even less important. It’s funny how we tend to worry about the things that are not important. We need to focus on the things that count. I remember a saying my dad use to tell my youngest daughter. He would say worry in sequence. I wonder if this isn’t the same concept.

So I’m going to put four items or skills in the 20% column and let’s look at them.

GRIP– a grip needs to be consistent, putting a lot of flesh on the gun. This will also mitigate recoil and its obvious problems.

TRIGGER CONTROL-trigger control is different for different types of triggers. Single action triggers get the pad of the index finger only. Double action triggers use more of the finger normally all the way to the power crease or the crease in the first joint of the index finger.

AIMING-aiming relates to sighted fire and unsighted fire. Knowing how to use both and when to use each is an important skill.

DRAW FROM THE HOLSTER– draw from the holster is a book all by itself. Most people believe that you must learn the strong side belt holster technique and then move to other types of holsters and carry positions. Proper holster technique is essential both for safety and for the ability to smoothly access your handgun in adverse situations.

Some skills will not be listed in the 20% because they are considered to be secondary skills. Not necessarily advanced but not as important as the four primary skills.

STANCE– one of the reasons this is not a 20% skill is that a proper stance is stable and comfortable. You do not know how or where you will be standing in a self-defense situation. You need to learn to shoot from many positions.

MAGAZINE DRILLS-loading and unloading under stress is important for several reasons but stats show that most self-defense situations end in 3 rounds or less. Most altercations happen at a distance of fewer than 3 yards, are over in approximately 3 seconds or less, and have 3 or fewer shots fired. (3-3-3)

Eighty-Twenty Handgun Training Principal

Other skills that may be important after the 20% is mastered.

MALFUNCTION DRILLS-while you may think of this as a primary skill it is really an advanced skill. Sure you need to know how to get your gun back into the fight if it isn’t working, but all the other skills have to be in place before this is important.

STRONG SIDE and WEAK HAND SHOOTING– while this skill is obviously important it is way down the list of things you should be training for.

You should have a baseline for your shooting ability. In other words a measurement of where your skills are today. Then thru out your training, you should go back and see that your baseline has moved, hopefully for the better. Here is a good baseline drill provided by Claude Werner (The Tactical Professor).

This is what it comes down to. You have to learn to effectively and efficiently handle your firearm. From the holster and presentation to shots on target. To do that your 20% skills have to be mastered. As you become more experienced you can start to throw additional skills into the mix (i.e. week hand shooting and malfunction drills). Find a gun that fits you. Learn to function the gun safely and efficiently. Learn to draw your firearm smoothly from the holster and put shots on target at respectable self-defense distances. That’s the eighty-twenty handgun training principal in a nutshell.

Intermediate Handgun Training in Pueblo Colorado

For Immediate Release: Have Gun Will Train Colorado’s “Intermediate Handgun and Personal Defense Class.” A carefully developed handgun training course consisting of practical pistol shooting theory and practice, this handgun training class is designed for intermediate students and is now available in Pueblo Colorado. Every effort is made to provide a comfortable learning environment and experience for everyone. It is fun, informative and practical. Colorado gun laws, self defense tactics, awareness, draw and presentation techniques, movement to and from cover, reloading (tactical exchange vs stress reload), multiple targets and use of lights are covered. We also cover such topics as shooting techniques, skill, firearm presentation, and carry options, but, and just as important, we will spend a significant amount of time on when to shoot and when not to shoot. These classes will consist of seven 2-2.5 hour blocks of handgun training and will be enjoyable and informative, but strict emphasis will be placed on safety at all times.

Four very important gun rules which we subscribe to very religiously and will follow to the letter are:

1. Always treat all guns as if they are loaded.

2. Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

4. Always be certain of your target.

Intermediate Handgun Training has never been easier

All firearms are to be brought to class unloaded. No live ammo is allowed in the class room. Classes will run approximately 2-2.5 hours each and will be held as students schedule these classes. There will be range sessions and students will need to supply their own eye and ear protection,a firearm, holster, gun belt, additional maga­zines or speed loaders), and ammunition. We can special order tactical flashlights, at reasonable prices.

If you have a concealed carry permit and are ready for the next step in your training this is the handgun training classfor you. You will be able to build your skills based on many blocks of carefully designed training, and you will not have to give up an entire weekend or travel long distances to do so. This handgun training is not a beginning handgun training course.

Safe Gun Handling Loading and Unloading Pistols

Semi-automatic
Ammunition in removable magazine Energy of fired cartridge causes the gun to load a new cartridge. Just pulling trigger fires gun until it is out of ammunition.

Single-shot
Fires single round in the chamber then requires reloading Usually used for hunting.

Derringer
A double-barreled single shot.

Caution! If this procedure is performed incompletely or in the wrong order, a cartridge could remain in the chamber and the gun could still be loaded!

Semi-Automatic Pistols contain cartridges in two locations: the barrel’s chamber and a detachable magazine. If a user does not follow the correct sequence when unloading a semi-auto pistol, a cartridge may remain in the chamber even when the magazine is removed.

To unload a semi-auto pistol, perform the following actions. Remember to keep the pistol pointed in a safe direction with your finger outside the trigger guard.

1. Press the magazine release and remove the magazine. (The magazine release is usually just behind the trigger guard, although a few pistols locate this at the bottom of the magazine.) Set the magazine aside.

A pistol is not unloaded just because the magazine is removed. Ammunition may be in the chamber, ready to fire.

2. Pull the slide to the rear while keeping your hand away from the ejection port. Lock the slide to the rear using the slide stop.

3. Visually and physically examine the chamber of the barrel for the presence of a cartridge. If a round was in the chamber, it should have been extracted from the chamber and ejected from the gun. Look into the chamber. Feel that the magazine has been removed and the chamber is empty.

Safe Gun Handling is a gun owners responsibility

Safe gun handling is an attitude. You should be aware of all safe gun handling rules and procedures. I will do a piece on safe gun handling for revolvers in the near future. Safe gun handling is everyone’s responsibility. If you see someone handling a gun unsafely explain to them why they should do it properly. Let’s make Safe Gun Handling an attitude. Don’t handle guns without an attitude towards safe gun handling.